The survival benefit of surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in octogenarians: Shinshu University experience

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma resection: Is it beneficial for survival in elderly patients?

INTRODUCTION

As the population ages, surgeons are growing frequently faced with hard choices among a vast array of treatment options for the elderly. This study was to investigate safety and efficacy of resection in elderly patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Literature reading and meta-analysis unveiled that elderly PHCC patients held a higher risk of death within 90 days after hepatectomy relative to younger patients, but their 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival were comparable. Among PHCC patients who underwent hepatectomy, the proportion of elderly patients with tumor classification Bismuth I-II and tumor stage pStage 1-3 was significantly higher than that of younger patients.

RESULTS

Curative resection R0 was more common in elderly patients than younger patients, but the difference was not statistically significant. Because of more comorbidities and less physiological reserve of elderly patients, they seemed to suffer more postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Considering improved life expectancy, it is crucial to treat elderly PHCC patients appropriately and attempts should be made to radical surgery based on comorbidities and functional status.

Resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in octogenarians: a single-center analysis

The rapidly aging population in industrialized countries comes with an increased incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCC) which presents new challenges for oncological treatments especially in elderly patients. Thus, the question arises to what extent the benefit of surgical resections, as the only curative treatment option, outweighs possible perioperative risks in patients ≥ 80 years of age (octogenarians). We therefore retrospectively analyzed 311 patients who underwent resection for iCC at Hannover Medical School between January 1996 and December 2022. In total, there were 11 patients older than 80 years in our collective. Despite similar tumor size, octogenarians underwent comparatively less extensive surgery (54.5% major resections in octogenarians vs. 82.7% in all other patients; p = 0.033) with comparable rates of lymphadenectomy and tumor-free resection margins. Furthermore, we did not observe increased major postoperative morbidity (Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIa complications: 27.3% vs. 34.3% in all other patients; p = 0.754) or mortality (estimated 1-year OS of 70.7% vs. 72.5% in all other patients, p = 0.099). The length of intensive care unit (ICU) or intermediate care unit (IMC) stay was significantly longer in octogenarians, however, with a comparable length in total hospital stay. The estimated overall survival (OS) did also not differ significantly, although a trend towards reduced long-term survival was observed (14.5 months vs. 28.03 months in all other patients; p = 0.099). In conclusion, primary resection is a justifiable and safe therapeutic option even in octogenarians but requires an even more thorough preoperative patient selection.

Safety and benefits of major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection in older perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and benefits of major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection in older perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients and to identify possible predictors of surgical mortality.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 102 consecutive patients who underwent major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in our institution between 2004 and 2021. The patients were included and divided into two groups: older patients ≥ 75 years and non-older patients < 75 years. Patient characteristics, preoperative nutritional and operative risk scores, intraoperative details, postoperative outcomes, and long-term prognosis were compared between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the predictors of 90-day mortality after major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection.

RESULTS

Significant differences were identified for some preoperative surgical risk scores, but not for nutritional scores. Older patients had a higher morbidity rate of respiratory complications (p = 0.016), but there were no significant differences in overall (p = 0.735) or disease-specific survival (p = 0.858). A high Dasari's score was identified as an independent predictive factor of 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection can be performed for optimally selected older and younger patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, resulting in a good prognosis. However, indications for extended surgery should be recognized. Dasari's preoperative risk score may be a good predictor of 90-day mortality.